


The Tudors, Season 2, Episode 5, His Majesty's Pleasure

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s02e05 His Majesty's Pleasure, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 02, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24927256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.
Kudos: 1





	The Tudors, Season 2, Episode 5, His Majesty's Pleasure

Open to Cromwell presenting Cranmer to Henry. Cranmer says More and Fisher are refusing to swear the oath. However, More will swear to the succession.

Henry makes the reasonable point, if More and Fisher are allowed to pick-and-choose what parts they want to swear, it’ll set a precedent for others to do the same. Cromwell says Alice More has written to beg for mercy for her husband. She claims he’s only trying to do as his conscience dictates.

“I know all about his conscience,” Henry answers in utter annoyance. “He’s been wearing it on his sleeve for years.”

Henry accuses More of breaking his promise to Henry by both speaking out publicly on Henry’s religious reforms and trying to gather support for Catherine via distributions of pamphlets.

Usually, I’d take Henry’s words with a grain of salt, but putting aside from my personal dislike for More, there’s no reason to doubt him in this instance. More did promise Catherine he’d get support for her, and he’s been shown talking to several people about his opinion on the subject. Just because the audience hasn’t seen him distributing pamphlets doesn’t signal much, if any, ambiguity to the charge.

Meanwhile, Alice and Margaret visit More. Despite their pleas, he refuses to take the full oath. He claims he doesn’t willingly seek martyrdom.

Good, because, I refuse to accept him as one. However, I will say Jeremy Northam does give a remarkable performance here. He really sells More’s confliction, his genuine love for his family, and his subtle resignation to his fate. I’d find More extremely likeable if he weren’t already shown to be a cowardly, hypocritically self-righteous, lying murderer.

At court, Anne walks through with a hand on her pregnant belly. Wyatt is one of the courtiers who bow to her.

In a private room, she starts to miscarry, and her ladies break into a panicked frenzy.

Later, Henry comes, and it’s established she lost the baby. Keeping his emotions in check, he simply says they won’t make a public announcement of it. He tries to give a reassuring smile.

Anne is dazed and broken. When he starts to leave, she says, “Thank you, your majesty.” It’s not clear what she’s thanking him for.

In the tower, Cromwell visits Fisher. He brings up the pope’s decision to make Fisher cardinal. Fisher refuses to take the oath. It’s revealed Cromwell has proof of Fisher trying to send a letter to the emperor asking him to attack England to restore Catherine and the Catholic majority. Cromwell makes it clear Fisher will die for his treason, and Fisher simply thanks him for informing him of his promotion.

Meanwhile, Eustace visits an extremely sick Catherine. She says people have threatened her to try to get her to take the oath. Eustace says of Boleyn, “I truly believe that man to be an emissary of Satan.” She asks about Fisher, and Eustace makes it clear Fisher will die soon. Remembering his loyal service to her, Catherine expresses her sympathy.

Elsewhere, the emissary of Satan berates his daughter for her miscarriage. He insists she must have done something, “to kill the baby”.

In real life, there are anti-abortionists who use more respectful language towards women who’ve actually had elective abortions than this man is using towards his daughter’s loss of her very wanted pregnancy.

He ominously warns her to be careful not to lose Henry’s love. Then, he leaves his grieving, terrified daughter all alone.

Outside, Henry and Charles Brandon are riding, and Henry asks if any of the women Charles Brandon slept with lied about their virginity. Charles Brandon’s answer of, “Their virginity? I’d say it’s the other way around. Did any of them not lie about it,” confuses me. I don’t know if he’s answering they all claimed to be virgins, they all claimed not to be, or if he’s saying he’s lied about such a thing. None of these options strikes me as true.

Whatever the meaning, Henry’s already sombre mood deepens, and not wanting to be banished for a third time, Charles Brandon quickly says, “I ask your majesty’s forgiveness.”

Assuring him he’s not upset with him, Henry shows an appreciation for his honesty.

They come across a riding couple. Katie McGrath plays the wife. Deciding he wants to sleep with her, Henry kisses her right in front of her husband.

Charles Brandon is happy for Henry until he looks at the husband.

Next, Henry and the wife have sex.

In Rome, the pope reads about Anne’s miscarriage and Henry’s mistresses. The gout man is worried about Catherine and Mary, and Fisher is brought up. The pope has a different concept of martyrdom than I do, and he gives a speech about martyrdom being desirable.

Leaving Fisher and More entirely out of it to focus solely on the idea of martyrdom: By my understanding of the definition, a person who actively seeks martyrdom is no martyr. A martyr is someone who explicitly does not want death, torture, or any other manner of horrible things. Yet, if they believe their cause is important enough, they will suffer any of the above in an attempt to help the cause. The fact they’d rather have their cause furthered without suffering and sacrifice but are willing to go through such things if it’s the only way is what makes martyrdom such a powerful concept. It’s what makes martyrs so respected and loved by many.

Back in England, More talks to a servant of Fisher’s through the door, and it’s established neither man will swear the oath.

Meanwhile, Henry orders Cromwell to find out More’s reasons for refusing to take the oath. He declares he’ll take silence on More’s part as malicious. Then, promoting Cromwell to vice-regent of the new faith, he says he can trust him more than he can trust any member of the clergy.

Cromwell leaves, and Henry looks at his miniature of Anne.

In the next scene, a pregnant Mary B comes to visit Anne and the emissary of Satan. It turns out she married a man of no fortune. She begs Anne to understand how, with her being called the great prostitute, it was hard to find a decent husband who accepted her.

Her family, however, is unsympathetic. Boleyn cuts off her allowance, and Anne banishes her and her husband from court.

Back in the tower, Cromwell visits More to ask why More won’t take the oath. More gives his standard answer of his conscience before announcing, “Mr Cromwell, there really is no difference between us, except that I shall die today, and you tomorrow.”

I really like this line. Wolsey saw the writing, but for whatever reason, he didn’t tell Cromwell. More sees the writing, too, and he does tell Cromwell. Just as Cromwell wouldn’t have listened with Wolsey, he doesn’t really listen now. All three made a deep commitment to their faith, all three scarified things in the service of Henry, and all three have or will die(d) in part because of their faith and service to their king. Thomas replaced Thomas, who was replaced by Thomas; the fall of grace followed by death will spare none of the three.

At a ball, Eustace greets Margaret. She’s come to see if Cromwell will help with her family’s financial problems. He expresses his sympathy and admiration for her father.

Meanwhile, laughing, Anne dances with Mark. Declaring him a free spirit, she asks him not to leave her.

Boleyn watches disapprovingly, and Henry looks at them with suspicion.

Later, Anne is showing visible signs of her mental unravelling. George appears, and Anne expresses worry Mary will take Elizabeth’s place. George tries to reassure her, but she brings up how powerful Henry is. She declares she and Mary are one another’s death.

In his cell, More prays. The servant reappears, and More sends an encouraging message to Fisher.

Next, it’s time for Fisher’s execution. Giving a speech about it being his wedding day, he urges everyone to obey the king despite Henry’s wrongness in regards to religion, and then, he admits to the crowd, like all men, he does fear death. He asks them to help him face his. Someone shouts out, “God bless you, Cardinal Fisher!” The rest of the crowd shouts out messages of peace and blessings.

He’s killed.

In Rome, there’s a funny bit about Michelangelo running around yelling profanities as the pope notes to the gout man, “We forgive him, because, he is a genius. Whatever that means.” Heh. Peter O’Toole was brilliant at comedy.

The gout man tells him about Fisher’s death. They peek at the unfinished Sistine Chapel.

In England, Cromwell asks what’s to be done about More, and tiredly, Henry answers, “We should press ahead, Mr Cromwell. We should press ahead.”

Back in the tower, Margaret expresses concern about More’s state. His stove and some of his clothes have been taken, and his food has been reduced. He expresses his fear of them using torture to make him swear the oath.

I could be wrong, but I think his knighthood gives him legal protection against being tortured.

She begs him to take the oath, and he refuses.

Elsewhere, Sir Richard Rich is introduced to Cromwell. Cromwell says he has a job for him.

At night, Henry looks at the large crucifix More gave him as he monologues about his complicated feelings of love and hate towards More.

In the tower, Rich comes to inform More he’s been charged with taking More’s books and papers. During this, they have a conversation More insists must remain hypothetical. Rich asks if More would accept him as king if Parliament passed a bill. He receives an affirmative answer. In turn, More asks if Sir Richard would obey an order by Parliament declaring God was not God.

The answer is no. Rich says Parliament lacks the competence to decide on the existence of God.

More condemns himself by stating Parliament lacks the same competence to make the king the Head of Church.

Announcing his work is done, Rich leaves.

Many historians disagree this conversation ever happened. Personally, I have no problem believing it happened, but I do acknowledge, due to Sir Richard Rich’s reputation, there’s a good chance they’re right.

At the castle, Anne is lying in bed. Henry comes to hold her. She asks if he’s still passionate about her, and he assures her he is. Urging her not to cry, he promises everything will be all right. They kiss, and he holds her closer.

At Westminster, More is brought to trial, and Rich’s testimony dooms him. Realising he has absolutely no hope left, More gives a speech openly condemning the act of supremacy. He’s sentenced to be drawn-and-quartered.

Lead through a crowd, he sees two of children. Blessing them, he urges them to be of good cheer. Margaret manages to get over to briefly hug and kiss him.

Later, looking outside where a laughing Anne is walking with her father and brother, Henry asks Cromwell questions about the execution. He decides to change the method of execution to decapitation.

More burnt people alive, and so, why shouldn’t he receive a relatively painless death in comparison to his victims?

Let it be noted, the above comment is limited strictly to the fictional version of More. Despite my personal feelings towards the real Thomas More, I’ve never celebrated the fact he was the victim of capital punishment.

In his cell, More prays.

The next day, tied in a lying position on a wagon, More is transported to the block.

Oh, come on. I despise the man, and even I protest the indignity of this.

There’s a shot of Henry at the castle.

A man helps More onto the scaffold. Showing off his dark humour, More thanks him before saying to let him (More) shift for himself when he comes back down.

There are intercutting shots of Henry as More gives his speech urging the people to tell Henry he died the king’s good servant but God’s first. He also claims he’s dying for the Catholic Church.

No, he’s not. He refused to atone for breaking several promises. This is why he’s dying.

There’s a cool moment where the axe strikes, and Henry is the one who lets out a blood-curling scream.

More was holding a tiny cross, and it falls to the ground.

Henry sobs.

The episode ends with cross almost fully coated in blood.

Fin.


End file.
